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The UK charity for everyone's mental health
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Ashleigh Patten v Edinburgh Marathon
With less than two weeks to go I wanted to start again. This page should really be about the wonderful work of the Mental Health Foundation but I've been on quite a journey too.
I've become more open about my mental health problems as my training has progressed. In doing so I've discovered so many people who have also suffered with mental health issues. I've heard how brave and how strong so many people that I know have been ... I've been wondering why they had to do it in silence. Why didn't we reach out and support each other?
So I've decided to be a bit braver and to be more honest about why I'm running for the Mental Health Foundation. Mental illness isn't shameful or deserved, it's just illness - albeit very painful and very hard to understand.
I picked up a pamphlet published by The Mental Health Foundation as I waited for yet another painful visit with the Community Mental Health Team. It said exercise has been found to be beneficial to mental well-being and contributes to the effective management of mental illness.
Out of sheer desperation I shuffled out for a run, and I've never been more grateful for anything in my life. I discovered the voices cannot keep up, I don't know why but I know they can't run. It's the most liberating, amazing discovery - it doesn't matter how tormented I am, or how powerful they seem I can live again so long as I just keep running.
Having found this out, I had to do something more, to be something more. I run to escape the voices, I am running the marathon to help others to escape too. I feel so privileged to be doing something so positive and to be sharing the gift of hope that I've been given.
Training for the marathon is harder than I could have ever imagined. The anti-psychotics work by slowing everything down - it's like being underwater. A recent increase in the dosage had left me running thickly through the fog in an attempt to preserve my physical fitness while my mental health was deteriorating. Add in two knee injuries, shin splints, a growing intolerance to my medication and the emergence of exercise induced asthma and my challenge is massive.
Despite the downs the rewards are also so much greater than I imagined. While I've been ill I have felt so alone but as each person has donated I see how wrong I was. What's more I truly feel the presence of all those the Mental Health Foundation will go on to help as I run. I feel that I am in control of something which seemed so much bigger than me.
If you can donate, any amount at all, it really would mean a great deal to me. I can't over-emphasis how much of a difference the acceptance and support I've received has made. I really am changed as a result of the people whose names are listed below.
Thank you
Recent donors
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Louise Baldwin £10.00 (+ £2.50 giftaid) 18.07.11 Well done, Ash - Go girl, go! xxxx |
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Linda Kavanagh £25.00 (+ £6.25 giftaid) 01.06.11 Well done Ashleigh |
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Zoe M £5.00 (+ £1.25 giftaid) 28.05.11 I am so proud of you Ash, you are such an inspiration to us all! Love ya loads xx |
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Eileen £20.00 (+ £5.00 giftaid) 28.05.11 well done Ash Keep getting fit and well love Eileen |
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Kel x £10.00 (+ £2.50 giftaid) 27.05.11 Well done Ashleigh....sorry its taken me so long to get my butt into gear!! ;o) Kel xx |
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Tina Barnett £20.00 27.05.11 way to go Ashleigh! Lots of love, Tina |
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Edna Barnett £20.00 16.05.11 Be strong, I will be thinking of you all the way. Lots of love, Edna xxxx |
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Emma Jones £10.00 (+ £2.50 giftaid) 15.05.11 Good luck Ashleigh...you show them hills who's boss!!!xxx |
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Fiona £10.00 (+ £2.50 giftaid) 15.05.11 You're an inspiration to all of us Ash, your courage and determination is incredible and you should be really proud of yourself. Good luck hun, lots of love xx |
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Steve £10.00 (+ £2.50 giftaid) 15.05.11 your an inpiration, i never knew all this recent running you were doin was for a marathon and then reading your post never knew it was for those reasons also. WOW, just blown away, ashleigh... :D x x |
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Sarah Wootton £5.00 (+ £1.25 giftaid) 15.05.11 Good luck Ashleigh. You're doing an amazing thing for a fantastic cause. And well done for posting your new sponsorship page. That must have taken courage, but people will only think even more of you for your honesty, your courage and your determination. |
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Mum & Dad £115.00 (+ £28.75 giftaid) 23.04.11 You have already achieved so much defeating all of the obstacles that have reared up during your training! We are so proud of your fighting spirit and look forward to seeing you go forward with renewed strength from the experience. Love you Mum & Dad |
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Anonymous £5.00 (+ £1.25 giftaid) 20.04.11 Good luck at Edinburgh. As someone myself who suffers from depression I have found a huge boost from running and hope that you continue to do so. this is a fantastic cause & I'm happy to sponsor you. (I saw the small article on Runners World online) |
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Claire , mark & lads xx £20.00 (+ £5.00 giftaid) 17.04.11 You can do it ash , your wonderful so proud of you xx |
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Naomi Newton-Fisher £20.00 (+ £5.00 giftaid) 06.04.11 I read your story on Runner's World & was moved to donate to support a fellow runner. Good luck with the big 26.2 - nothing will feel as good as completing your 1st marathon! |
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jim boulton £10.00 (+ £2.82 giftaid) 02.04.11 good luck ash hope it a nice day for it xx |
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Anonymous £20.00 (+ £5.64 giftaid) 01.04.11 |
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Tim Lovett £10.00 (+ £2.82 giftaid) 29.03.11 Good luck hun, an amazing cause :-) xxxxxx |
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Bates £5.00 (+ £1.41 giftaid) 28.03.11 Go Ash you can do it :) |
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Anonymous £4.00 (+ £1.13 giftaid) 25.03.11 |
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Rachel £50.00 (+ £14.10 giftaid) 21.03.11 So impressed! Hope the lighter days are helping and the training's going well x |
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Vincent Von Pumple-Pilskin £20.00 (+ £5.64 giftaid) 20.03.11 A late promise fulfilled is far better than a promise unkept. Keep those legs a-pumpin', Ash! Gx |
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Alison McCreath (another friend of your Aunt £20.00 (+ £5.64 giftaid) 18.03.11 Good luck - I admire your courage taking on this challenge |
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Amanda Hunt (friend of your aunt Julie!) £20.00 (+ £5.64 giftaid) 15.03.11 I am more than impressed! |
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Henry H-B £10.00 (+ £2.82 giftaid) 07.03.11 You're insanely brave for taking this on Ash! Good luck xx |
